


For Better or Worse

by Maverick



Category: Donald Strachey Mysteries (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-10
Updated: 2010-07-10
Packaged: 2017-10-10 11:58:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/99509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maverick/pseuds/Maverick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes Bub hated his life, sometimes he didn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Better or Worse

Bub knew that getting a call from the Chief on a Sunday was never a good thing. Finding out that the Chief called because of Bub's personal relationship with Albany's only gay detective sort of threw him for a loop. Sure, he was the person who most often worked with Strachey--they had combined their resources several times to bring down a whole lot of bad guys--but the fact that the Chief knew that and wanted to use that connection had him a bit perplexed.

It seems the Chief's brother-in-law had been tied up, threatened and robbed at a popular spa resort just outside of the city limits. It was the fourth such shakedown at the spa since the first of the year. The Albany PD had no jurisdiction, so they couldn't get officially involved, but the Chief's wife was very upset. They had practically raised her little brother and she was convinced he'd been targeted because he was gay. A little research indeed showed that only gay couples were being targeted. The spa had a reputation of being all-inclusive and was more than willing to work with anyone who could catch the perp for them. Which is where Donald Strachey came in. The Chief knew of Strachey's reputation and wanted him on the job ASAP. Hence, the call to Bub.

Bub knew how the system worked, the Chief says jump and it's his job to ask how high. And Christ knew that Strachey owed him at least a dozen times over, but he still didn't like having to be the one to call in one of those favors. It wasn't that Strachey was gay. Bub really could care less who anyone slept with, it was the fact that he knew Strachey was going to make him work for it. And he guessed that was fair, because that was the relationship that they had.

Strachey agreed to take the case. Bub was pretty sure he would have even if if he hadn't been the one calling in the favor or even if hadn't been gay couples being targeted. Strachey took his job seriously and it didn't matter to him who the victim was or who they slept with, he just wanted to see justice served. Not for the first time Bub wished there were more guys on the force like Strachey.

Of course that was before Strachey put him through the ringer just like Bub knew he would.

They met for a beer at O'Malleys to discuss the case. Bub took a sip of his beer and stared at Strachey like he'd grown an extra head. "Callahan? Really?"

Strachey laughed and Bub was pretty sure it was because of the look on his face. "Well think about it, it was either Tim or Kenny and let me know if I'm wrong about this one, but Kenny doesn't seem to be your type, Bub."

Kenny Kwan was a lot of things, but Bub's type was certainly not one of them. He shuddered at the mere thought. "No, you're right your assistant wouldn't work."

Strachey smirked. "He prefers associate detective now."

What the hell could Bub say to that? "Callahan's not exactly my type either."

Chuckling again, Strachey patted his shoulder. "Glad to hear it. But he fits the profile better than Kenny and is more within your appropriate age range."

The way this was going, Bub really wished he had something stronger than beer. "Why not you?"

Strachey faked big eyes and clutched his hands over his heart. "Is that a proposition Bub?" Oh yeah, Strachey was enjoying himself.

Bub let his head fall forward as he sighed. "I must have been very bad in a past life."

Strachey winked at him and gave his shoulder a squeeze this time. "Don't be that way. I'm flattered, but I'm gonna have to turn you down. I'm a one man kind of guy."

Christ. "Strachey."

Bub was happy when the other man took pity on him and turned back to the business at hand. "You know it can't be me. One of us has to run surveillance and be there for backup. Do you want to leave that up to Kenny?"

That made sense actually. Way too much sense. It would be so much easier if he could do the surveillance and let Strachey handle the wining and dining, but with the jurisdiction issue, he couldn't be the one collecting the evidence, not if he wanted the charges to stick. Which left him playing house with Strachey's boyfriend it would appear. "Why did I agree to this again?"

Strachey popped a handful of peanuts into his mouth. "You came to me, Bub."

Bub nodded. "Don't remind me. Callahan will do it?"

Bub could see his short reprieve from Strachey's antics was over if the gleam in his eye was any indication. "Yes. I asked him very nicely."

"Thanks Strachey. That wasn't an image I needed."

Strachey winked again. "Well you should know these things now that you're going to be married to him."

Bub dropped his head once more. "I hate my life."

"Don't be that way. I've found out there's really nothing better than coming home to Timothy Callahan. I do however draw the line at you sleeping with him. A kiss or two to make it look legit, sure. But absolutely no hanky-panky."

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

Strachey nodded. "Let's just say it goes a long way in making up for the stakeout you made me do with Stenski."

Bub narrowed his eyes. "We helped solve that case for you."

"True, but I'm just enough of a son of a bitch that I'd have been fine with the killer getting away if it meant I could get those twelve hours in a car with that bigoted asshole back again."

Sometimes Strachey was full of shit. "No you wouldn't have been."

Strachey raised his beer to him. "No, you're right. However, it doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy your predicament just a little."

"You don't worry that Callahan might be in danger?"

"They don't seem to be escalating the violence, and unfortunately this wouldn't be the first time Timmy's been tied up because of me." Strachey stopped for a minute, his expression growing serious as he looked Bub in the eye. "But if it was anyone else but you, I wouldn't let him do it."

"Was that a compliment?"

Strachey took one last pull on his beer. "Yep. Don't let it go to you head. And don't let Timmy get hurt, or there'll be hell to pay."

~*~*~*~*~

Bub had to admit that in the very least Callahan -- Tim, he had to start calling him Tim -- made a mean martini. But sitting in the home that Tim shared with Strachey discussing their "marriage" was just a bit more surreal than Bub was used to. And having had Donald Strachey stirring up trouble for years now, that was saying a lot. He took another large sip from his martini.

"Don't worry Detective Bailey. You're not really my type," Tim said as he sat down beside him.

"What?"

Tim sat his drink down on the coffee table in front of him and turned to look at Bub. "I can only assume you are so uncomfortable because you think I'm going to make some sort of move on you."

Bub hadn't been thinking anything like that. "Uh, no. Strachey."

Tim patted Bub's knee. "Exactly. Now Donald..."

"He's your type?"

Tim smiled and picked up his drink again. "No actually, he wasn't. He was rude and gruff and totally flirted with a biker on our second date, but he grew on me."

Now that was something Bub could understand. Strachey was a pain in the ass, but he was a good detective and he'd even admit that Donald was a good person as well. Not that he'd ever admit that to Strachey or Tim. "He is rather like mold that way."

Tim laughed. "Donald is an acquired taste for sure, but I wouldn't change our life for the world."

Bub could hear the truth and devotion in Tim's voice. "You're okay with doing this?"

Tim nodded. "I wouldn't have agreed if I wasn't. Plus I kind of like being able to help with this part of Donald's life. He stuffs envelopes for me even though he says he doesn't give a rat's ass about politics. I figure I can have a few meals with you if it helps catch someone preying on the community."

Bub took another sip of his martini and finally began to relax. "Strachey's very lucky to have you."

"We're lucky to have each other. Now let me get the cheat sheets I made for our rendezvous."

They were going over Tim's list of topics of discussions when Strachey got home. He walked over to the couch and put a hand on Tim's shoulder and planted a kiss on the top of his head. Tim smiled up at him as his hand went to cover Donald's with his own. No words were necessary between them and Bub was a big enough man to admit he envied that casual intimacy. It was one of the things he missed most about being married, back in the beginning when it had been good.

Donald looked over at Bub, his hand now at the back of Tim's neck, his thumb stroking across the nape. "The surveillance equipment is in place. I vetted the spa's staff this afternoon and while it has got to be someone who knows the set up of the place, I don't think it's anyone at the spa itself."

"Donald is a very good judge of character," Tim said as he stood up. "I'll go fix your martini and let the two of you discuss the specifics."

Strachey smiled. "You had me at martini."

"Don't I always," Tim said with a kiss to Donald's cheek.

Strachey sat down in the seat that Tim had vacated. "Okay. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Bub didn't even think before answering. "The two of you, just now."

Bub could see Strachey tense up, anger darkening his eyes. "I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable or offended but I'll be damned if I'm going to let that stop me from greeting my partner hello in my own home."

Bub raised his hands in surrender. "Whoa. That's not what I meant. I was just surprised. And maybe felt a little weird. But not for the reason you think."

Strachey relaxed a little, but not all the way. "Explain."

"Well to be honest, I just never could get my head around the fact that anyone could put up with you on a regular basis, but it's obvious you two love each other. I kinda felt like I was intruding." And because that wasn't the type of conversation he wanted to be having with Donald Strachey, Bub continued. "Now what's this I hear about you flirting with some biker on your second date?"

Donald laughed, all the tension gone. "You're kinda an asshole Detective Bailey, you know that?"

Bub just nodded. "Tim has been very helpful with our back story. He made lists."

Donald laughed again. "That's my man. If we had a few more days to prepare, they'd be laminated and color-coded."

"Organization is not a bad thing, Donald," Tim said with a slight frown as he handed Donald his drink.

"Of course not, honey." He took a sip and smiled at Tim who returned his smile with one of his own.

Tim sat down on the arm of the couch, his hand in Donald's hair. "Now if you're done placating me, why don't you tell Bub and me about the set up of the room."

~*~*~*~*~

In the end it went down way too easy. If Bub had been the perp, he would have thought he and Tim were indeed a couple. They made easy conversation, and if Bub looked slightly uncomfortable, Tim would joke and pat his knee and explain that a massage would do him good and that he promised that he wouldn't force a pedicure on him like last time.

He sensed the shakedown before it happened and so did Tim. They were sitting at the table inside the relaxation room enjoying a leisurely breakfast wearing the fluffy white robes the spa had provided when the perp burst in. Bub was shocked at how calm Tim was as the masked man tied his hands behind his back. Being threatened with a knife in your face usually caused more of a reaction, but his responses were timed and calculated like someone who had been through this before. Bub had thought Strachey had been kidding when he said Tim had been tied up before, but apparently not. Tim pretended to be scared and tried to reason with their captor just as he'd been instructed by Strachey. Bub caused as big a ruckus as he could as he was tied to his own chair. Again, it was almost surreal how it was all falling into Strachey's plan. That was until the perp tried to remove the wedding ring from Tim's finger. He'd never seen Tim Callahan angry and he was pretty sure he never wanted to again.

"You just made a huge mistake," Tim said staring down the guy in front of him even though he couldn't see his face.

The perp laughed and palmed the ring. "You're not really in a position to be making threats."

"He's not, but I am," Strachey said with a sharp elbow to the perp's face. He had the guy down and in cuffs before Bub even had a chance to process how he'd gotten into the room so quickly. Strachey picked up the knife off the floor and pried the ring out of the perp's hand and made his way over to Tim.

"That wasn't part of the plan, sweetheart," Tim said as Donald cut his bindings and quickly slipped the ring back on to his finger.

"When have you ever known me to follow a plan?"

"That's true," Tim said as he leaned over and kissed Donald. "Bub would probably like to be untied now."

"Oh yeah. Sorry," Strachey said making his way over to Bub. He cut the binds and flipped open his cell phone to call the sheriff. As he waited, he smiled at Bub. "That's a great look for you Detective Bailey."

Tim handed Bub his clothes before he had a chance to respond. He went into the bathroom to change before the sheriff arrived. When he was done, he waited in the doorway for a moment, watching Donald as he rubbed his thumbs across Tim's wrists like his touch alone could erase the rope burns.

"You okay?" Donald asked Tim, watching the other man's eyes to read his response. Typical detective move, was all Bub could think.

"I'm fine. You know I can take care of myself, Donald."

Donald must have believe him because he smiled and pressed a kiss to Tim's temple. "I know, but it doesn't mean I don't worry. And let's face it, you were a little pissed when that asshole took your ring."

"Yes, I was. But I wasn't the one who came storming in like Rambo. Isn't that right Bub" Tim said as he motioned for Bub to come back into the room.

"Hey, we got enough evidence on tape. I just wanted to end things before they escalated."

"You did good work," Bub said looking at both of them. "And thank god the perp hit before I had to submit to the seaweed facial."

Donald clasped Bub's shoulder. "I don't know Detective, they say seaweed is great for your pores."

The three of them all laughed at that. When the Sheriff arrived moments later, Bub was pretty sure the poor guy thought they were all nuts, but he wrapped things up pretty quickly taking the perp away with the promise of getting their official statement at the station later that day. Tim slipped into the bathroom to change leaving Donald and Bub alone.

"I wanted to thank you Bub. For keeping Timmy safe."

"Well it was your plan." Bub said, stating the obvious.

"But you stuck to it."

Bub nodded. "And you didn't."

"Yeah. The asshole removing Timmy's ring made me see red. Sorry about that."

"No harm, no foul. We got the guy. The Chief will be happy."

And it wasn't like Bub could blame Donald for his actions. If it had been his spouse, back when he was married, he would have done the same thing.

"We ready to go?" Tim asked as he exited the bathroom.

Both Donald and Bub nodded. They all walked out together.

"Well I wouldn't say it's been a pleasure Detective Bailey," Tim said as he put out his hand for Bub to shake. "But you are welcome at our place for martinis anytime."

Bub shook his hand. "Thanks, Tim. Donald. I may just take you up on that."

Donald laughed. "No one can resist Tim's martinis. They're legendary."

Bub thought he knew Donald Strachey before working this case, but he'd been wrong. Sure he was still a good detective and a good man, but he was more than that. He was the person that Tim Callahan loved, and call Bub a sentimental old fool, but he envied him a little. Okay, more than just a little. He wanted that in his life again.

And hell, if Donald Strachey could find his match, maybe there was still hope for Bub as well.

 

—FIN—


End file.
